Primulina plant named ‘PREESMANPT2’

ABSTRACT

‘PREESMANPT2’ is a distinctive Primulina plant which is characterized by a moderately fast rate of growth, broad ovate foliage that is moderately to strongly concave with coarsely crenulate leaf margins, dark green and glossy foliage that is overlaid with a light greyed-green reticulate pattern, as well as the uniformity and stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Primulina dryas (Dunn) Mich. Möller & A. Weber.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Primulina disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘PREESMANPT2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘PREESMANPT2’ originated as a naturally occurring, spontaneous, whole-plant mutation which was discovered growing amongst a cultivated population of Primulina dryas ‘Preesman PT’ plants (Dutch Plant Breeders' Rights grant number 44601). The inventor regularly discovers mutations of Primulina dryas at his commercial greenhouse in Strijen, the Netherlands and, as a result, a selection program was established with the goal of developing a new cultivar with novel foliage colors and patterns. In 2019, a plurality of whole-plant mutations exhibiting unique foliage coloration were discovered and subsequently isolated for further observation. Each mutation was asexually propagated by leaf cuttings and grown to maturity, in order to confirm the uniqueness and stability of the characteristics first observed. In December of 2019, ‘PREESMANPT2’ was ultimately selected for its combination of a unique foliage color pattern, moderately fast rate of growth, and high plant vigor.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘PREESMANPT2’ was first performed by way of leaf cutting propagation in 2019 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse facility in Strijen, the Netherlands and later, in March of 2020, by way of meristematic tissue culture micropropagation. Through eight subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘PREESMANPT2’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PREESMANPT2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PREESMANPT2’ as a new and distinct Primulina cultivar:

-   -   1. Primulina ‘PREESMANPT2’ exhibits a moderately fast rate of         growth; and     -   2. Primulina ‘PREESMANPT2’ exhibits broad ovate foliage that is         moderately to strongly concave with coarsely crenulate leaf         margins.     -   3. Primulina ‘PREESMANPT2’ exhibits dark green, glossy foliage         that is overlaid with a light greyed-green reticulate pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘PREESMANPT2’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Strijen, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 15 weeks old, in a 13 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage of ‘PREESMANPT2’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements, made in June of 2022, describe averages from a sample set of six 15-week-old ‘PREESMANPT2’ plants grown in 13 cm nursery containers, from rooted cuttings, at a greenhouse in Strijen, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Primulina sp. which consisted of growing plants under shade with light levels of 300 watts per square meter, watering with ebb and flood benches, fertigating using an A-B fertilization scheme, and employing chemical pest measures for thrips control. No photoperiodic treatments were utilized in production.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘PREESMANPT2’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘PREESMANPT2’ and a comparison with the parent plant and most similar commercial cultivar are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Broad spreading to spreading-upright             herbaceous perennial with foliage growing from basal shoots.         -   Plant shape.—Flattened to flattened globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—14.6 cm.         -   Plant spread.—79.0 cm.         -   Number of basal shoots per plant.—8, with one primary shoot             and 7 lateral shoots.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast-growing.         -   Plant vigor.—Highly vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Asexual propagation is accomplished by             way of meristematic tissue culture micropropagation. Time to             initiate rooting — Approximately 140 days at 18 degrees             Celsius. Time to produce a rooted cutting — Approximately 22             weeks are needed to produce a marketable plant in a 13 cm             nursery container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             susceptibility nor resistance to pests and diseases common             to Primulina dryas have been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to temperatures as low as 5             degrees Celsius and at least as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain; low to moderate tolerance to             wind. -   Roots:     -   -   General.—Moderately dense, moderately branched rooting;             roots are fleshy and non-fibrous.         -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately             deep.         -   Texture.—Smooth, with fine lateral roots. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity.—13 leaves along the main shoot and 5 per lateral             shoot, on average.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Lamina.—Shape — Broad ovate. Length — 13.3 cm, excluding the             petiole. Width — 11.5 cm. Apex — Broad bluntly acute. Base —             Truncate. Aspect — Moderately to strongly concave and             furrowed. Margins — Coarsely crenate margins with no             undulation. Luster, adaxial surface — Glossy. Luster,             abaxial surface — Very slightly glossy. Texture, adaxial             surface — Moderately to densely pubescent with strigose             hairs with an average length of 0.4 cm and colored white,             nearest to RHS NN155D. Texture, abaxial surface — Densely             pubescent with soft, short hairs with an average length of             0.15 cm and colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D. Color —             Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to a             mixture of RHS NN137A and 139A, and fading to yellow-green             towards the base, nearest to RHS 144A; veins and portions of             the lamina adjacent to veins colored greyed-green, nearest             to in between RHS 194A and 194B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial             surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148C. Mature foliage,             adaxial surface — Nearest to a mixture of yellow-green and             greyed-green, RHS 147A and N189A yet considerably darker;             veins and portions of the lamina adjacent to veins colored             greyed-green, nearest to in between RHS 194A and 194B.             Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to             RHS N148B.         -   Venation.—Pattern — Reticulate. Color, adaxial surfaces —             Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 194A. Color, abaxial surface —             Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A. -   Petiole:     -   -   Attitude.—Upright and outward.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Flattened.         -   Length.—3.1 cm.         -   Width.—1.3 cm.         -   Height.—0.6 cm.         -   Luster, adaxial surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Luster, abaxial surface.—Matte.         -   Texture, adaxial surface.—Moderately to densely pubescent             with strigose hairs with an average length of 0.25 cm and             colored white, nearest to RHS NN155D.         -   Texture, abaxial surface.—Densely pubescent with soft, short             hairs with an average length of 0.15 cm and colored white,             nearest to RHS NN155D.         -   Color, adaxial surface.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A,             and transitioning to green towards the margins, nearest to             RHS 137A.         -   Color, abaxial surface.—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 148C,             and becoming darker towards the margins, nearest to RHS             147B. -   Inflorescence: To date, ‘PREESMANPT2’ has not flowered. -   Comparisons with the parent plants: Plants of the new cultivar     ‘PREESMANPT2’ differ from the parent, Primulina dryas ‘Preesman PT’     (Dutch Plant Breeders' Rights grant number 44601), in the     characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘PREESMANPT2’ ‘Preesman PT’ Foliage shape. Broadly ovate. Narrowly ovate. General coloration A mixture of yellow- A mixture of yellow- of the mature green and greyed- green and green, foliage. green, generally generally appearing appearing as a dark as a lighter shade green coloration. of green relative to ‘PREESMANPT2’. Expression of Prominent light None. leaf color pattern. greyed-green reticulate pattern.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PREESMANPT2’ differ from the most similar commercial variety known to the inventor, Primulina dryas ‘Latifolia Dwarf’ (not patented), in the characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘PREESMANPT2’ ‘Latifolia Dwarf’ Foliage aspect. Substantially more Much less concaved, concaved, relative to relative to ‘Latifolia Dwarf’. ‘PREESMANPT2’. General colora- A mixture of yellow- A mixture of yellow- tion of the green and green; generally green and green; generally mature foliage. appearing as a lighter appearing as a darker shade of green relative to shade of green relative to ‘Latifolia Dwarf’. ‘PREESMANPT2’. Expression of Prominent light greyed- Prominent light greyed- leaf color green reticulate pattern; green reticulate pattern, pattern. more prominent than yet less prominent than ‘Latifolia Dwarf’. ‘PREESMANPT2’. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Primulina dryas plant named ‘PREESMANPT2’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 